1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of apparatus for selectively recovering, or collecting, scrap metal of a given type such as aluminum containers and for compensating depositors of such scrap based on the weight of said metal so collected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most relevant prior art known to applicant is that found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,018 which issued on Dec. 18, 1979 to John H. Miller and is entitled Method and Apparatus for Selective Recovery of Metal Containers. The patent to Miller discloses apparatus in which non-reusable aluminum cans such as are used to package soft drinks and malt cereal beverages are segregated from other materials such as tinplated steel cans that may be deposited in the apparatus. A start button, or switch is pushed by the depositer to start the operation of the apparatus. The deposited materials are conveyed by a conveyor belt to a magnetic separator that separates magnetic, ferrous, materials such as tinplated steel cans from nonmagnetic materials and stores the ferrous materials in a storage bin for such magnetic materials.
More dense non-metallic materials are collected at the bottom of a pneumatic classifier conveyor that transports the aluminum, non-ferrous, metal containers to a crusher. The aluminum cans so transported are crushed and then weighed. After being weighed, the crushed aluminum is conveyed by a pneumatic stacker conveyor and deposited into an inclined storage compartment located at the top of the apparatus. The storage compartment is located to facilitate the unloading of the storage compartment into a suitable conveyance, such as a truck, so that the aluminum collected can be taken to a plant where it can be recycled.
The apparatus is provided with a compensation dispenser which dispenses coins, tokens, or other symbols of value, the amount, or value, of which is determined by the weight of the non-ferrous materials that pass through the crusher and as weighed by the weighing means during operation of the collection apparatus.
Apparatus such as that disclosed in the Miller patent is designed to be unattended and is frequently placed in the parking lots of shopping centers. Such a location makes it easier for persons who patronize the retail stores located in a shopping center and purchase beverages which are packaged in aluminum cans to dispose of such cans after consuming their contents and obtain a return on their investment. The recovery of scrap aluminum from this source saves energy and raw materials that would otherwise be used to produce virgin aluminum while simultaneously reducing problems associated with disposing of such cans after the contents have been consumed.
Because such apparatus is unattended, problems can occur, which if not promptly detected and remedied, can result in a malfunction in which the depositors would not be paid for cans deposited, for example. Such malfunctions of the apparatus would work against the conservation ethic that the apparatus is intended to encourage.
It is not uncommon for people to deposit metals into the apparatus other than aluminum. While the apparatus segregates magnetic materials such as tinplated steel cans from non-magnetic materials, the value of tinplated steel cans is so minimal at this time as not to make it economical to collect them. There, thus, is a need to notify depositors when they deposit a tinplated steel can so that the depositor will not put anymore tin cans into the apparatus. There is also a need, because the apparatus is unattended, that the apparatus essentially diagnose whatever it is that caused it to cease operating and to provide some guidance to a serviceman who is attempting to correct its problems.